Archive for the ‘ sports and society ’ Category

 
Friday, July 23rd, 2010

RealClearSports: Exorbitant Salaries? Just Supply and Demand

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

In Britain, where austerity is in vogue and government budget cuts affect the health system, schools and other vital services, Liverpool of the Premier League signed free-agent soccer star Joe Cole for four years at $7.4 million a year. Hardly austere.

On this side of the Atlantic, the New Jersey Devils, based in Newark, a city with an unemployment rate of more than 13 percent, happily re-signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a 17-year, $102 million contract. Even though rejected by the National Hockey League, it disturbed many citizens.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

Posted in articles, hockey, sports and society | 1 Comment »

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

RealClearSports: Suddenly, Americans Can’t Play Golf

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

It is an accepted premise the United States, until proven differently, isn’t going to be a winner in soccer. From a parochial view, tennis is rather hopeless, other than Ms. Serena. Now we can’t play golf, at least as well as the rest of the world.

Maybe provincialism is an outdated philosophy anyway. Borders are easily crossed. Maria Sharapova resides in Florida. So does Ernie Els. Ian Poulter, an Englishman who also spends much of the year in Florida, is sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, and it’s hard to get much more American than that.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

Posted in articles, golf, sports and society | No Comments »

Friday, July 9th, 2010

RealClearSports: Is Era of Soccer Finally Upon America?

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

LONDON — Is this the end or the beginning? Does soccer, football to the rest of the world, finally capture the United States? Or was this World Cup fascination only a brief affair, a fling encouraged by ESPN, and little more?

Does it become only a sweet memory in anticipation of Drew Brees and Peyton Manning coming to training camp? Or when you think of fullbacks will it mean players who kick a round ball as much as those who occasionally carry an oval one?

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

RealClearSports: England Can’t ‘Wait ‘Til Next Year’

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

WIMBLEDON, England — The pain isn’t going away soon. This isn’t Brooklyn in the 1940s. You can’t say, “Wait ‘til next year.” The next World Cup is four years away, four years for England to stew and grumble and wallow in the self-pity for which the English are famous.

“It’s English custom,” wrote Simon Barnes in The Times, “to seek someone to blame.”

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Posted in articles, sports and society, tennis | No Comments »

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

RealClearSports: ‘Los Suns’ Go After Arizona’s Immigration Law

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

It’s Cinco de Mayo, the Fifth of May, the anniversary of the Mexican militia’s victory over Napoleon’s troops in 1862; cause for celebration in Mexico, a holiday.

It’s reason for the Phoenix Suns, whose home is a state at war with itself over immigration, mainly about undocumented Mexicans, to make a statement as clear as the words on the front of their jerseys.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Posted in articles, basketball, sports and society | No Comments »

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

SF Examiner: Time for Tiger to take action

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

AUGUSTA, GA. — He seemed believable, and for us more than for Tiger Woods, that was progress. Yet, Tiger himself said actions speak louder than words.  

The Great News Conference is done. Thirty-four and half minutes of apology, self-deprecation and occasional salient details of what it’s like to have been Tiger Woods since Nov. 27.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2010 SF Newspaper Company

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Posted in articles, golf - Masters, sports and society | No Comments »

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

RealClearSports: We Want More Than Tiger Should Have to Give

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

We’re the ones at fault here. Not Tiger Woods.

The man did something morally wrong, at least in the viewpoint of most. He did not break any laws. He did not steal. Or shove anyone down a flight of stairs.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

RealClearSports: Despite Controversy, Olympics a Success for NBC

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

That was an interesting report from the Wall Street Journal, the piece which said the luge track for the Olympics, the one where a young man crashed to his death, the one designed to be steeper, faster and narrower than any in the past, would allow racers to reach speeds some officials said were unsafe.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Friday, January 29th, 2010

RealClearSports: Thanks, David Stern for Doing the Right Thing

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

Thanks, David Stern. Thanks for doing what any sane-thinking person would have done, suspending the two Washington Wizards players who were so stupid, so arrogant to bring guns to practice.

Thanks for attempting to restore to society some sense of what is right and wrong.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Posted in articles, basketball, sports and society | No Comments »

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

RealClearSports: Tiger News Won’t Die Down

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

LA QUINTA, Calif. — The back cover of the tabloid New York Post was what we would expect, a photo of a Jets running back. The team’s biggest game in years is Sunday against the Colts. Overkill is permissible. Jets, Jets Jets.

But that’s the back cover.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2010

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Posted in articles, golf, sports and society | No Comments »